Rural Virginia , Good Phone Service Options

[Inspire]

Hello everyone, first time poster here.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the possibilities I have here. I just moved to VA and I have pretty good LTE phone service with At@t off my iPhone and was looking to see if there was anyway I could take that data into a router as the internet situation is abysmal here.

My other family runs their internet off a Verizon jet pack, but even though it’s unlimited the WiFi is unusable after 20gb+ of data used.

I have tried to check the availability of all of the fixed home internet services these carries have to offer but I’m honestly stuck in a rut. If this is the wrong place to post this kinda question I apologize, I just don’t know where to start off and I’m riding the optimism of at@t being good on my phone here

[Didneywhorl]

So you tried T-Mobile Home internet and Verizon.

You can go with a post Paid ATT unlimited tablet plan and use the SIM in a router/modem combo.

I can list off a parts list if you like.

You can also tether a phone to a router that can use it and feed unlimited data to yourself that way. Or an ipad with an unlimited data plan.

So far Visible (Verizon) has also been a good option to use with a router/modem setup.

thewirelesshaven.com has all the parts you need.

[Inspire]

Oh man for sure thank you so much I would love a parts list. This move to Rural VA was super last minute and was kind of emergency. Verizon fios spoiled me in New York.

I’m not entirely sure how bad the Verizon service actually is out here because Verizon absolutely mutilates the data on the jetpack mifi setup even though my girlfriends grandparents have the unlimited plan. I know for a fact sprint is a dead zone here so it seems like at@t is my only option.

Any help is appreciated beyond belief as I’m continuing my online classes here and can’t reliably find participate and hand things in

[Inspire]

I would love a part list! I think att is my only option here service wise as Verizon deprioritization is so bad. Thank you so much for your time and help as I moved here from NY in a last minute rush will do what it takes to get my online schoolwork done and I have no idea where to even start. I just figured if my att lte service is good out here I can make something out of it

[gscheb]

Well the first step you can take before you have the parts list to get a working sim card. Here is a post of tablets I have used to get service. Can get them on ebay for cheap especially if it has cracked screen or other cosmetic issues.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2367

Once you get your sim can move it to a lte device at that point.

[Inspire]

Oh okay so what I’d have to do is buy one of those tablets, get the IMEI from the device , then call up at&t and ask them about their tablet services and purchase a plan?

If so then I’ll get on that right away, do they have unlimited plans for their tablets? I used like 45gb of data on my phone this period and I haven’t had any deprioritization

[gscheb]

Oh okay so what I’d have to do is buy one of those tablets, get the IMEI from the device , then call up at&t and ask them about their tablet services and purchase a plan?

Yes

If so then I’ll get on that right away, do they have unlimited plans for their tablets? I used like 45gb of data on my phone this period and I haven’t had any deprioritization

Yes they have unlimited post pay plan.
They will mail you a sim card. Can order it right over the phone. The card works in a device right away. With out ever being put into a tablet. Have done this 3 times.

Don't get the prepay version those have been shut down in the past. So far haven't heard of anyone being shut down on post pay.
With these type of solutions it is all fine till it isn't.

[Inspire]

Ok excellent that all makes sense, sorry for al of the additional questions but does it matter what model of the tablet I purchase? Just want to make sure because I don’t necessarily have a car here yet so I feel bad having to return stuff if I make a mistake lol

[gscheb]

The tablet you buy needs to be a LTE tablet. That link I sent you was ones that I know personally that work. Buying from Ebay or Amazon etc would be fine. Allot of times you can get ebay seller to email you the IMEI after you pay for it. Literally have had the sim card to the house and in a router before the Tablet ever even got here.

[Inspire]

Ah okay ironically my girlfriends grandparents actually have a Samsung tab A but I just checked the About Device section and it has no imei information at all anywhere so I assume it’s not LTE compatible. Thanks for all the information because it would have sucked to buy one of them randomly

[toddw]

I'm in rural va as well, know that Tmobile band 71 and 66 are strong out here. Some towers now have sprint band 25 and 26 offering up good data. Verizion for the most part out here is over subscribed and crap on the upload.

And band 29 just started popping up on AT&T out here which is nice for a good CA modem.

[Inspire]

Yeah all I can attest to is she has family members who are on a sprint line and get really bad service here , almost non existent. On top of that Verizon is pretty much all anyone uses out here so the congestion is real.

[Dr-BroadBand]

Use https://www.cellmapper.net to help you map out your best options.
Click on the dots to see which way the tower is pointed and what band they are using.

T-Mobile band 71 600MHz works the best for rural settings
Not the fastest, but sometimes the only option!

SIM Solution, 100GB, 5G, T-Mobile, $50
https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/5 ... got-better

Maybe you are lucky and can get T-MOBILE HOME INTERNET
https://www.t-mobile.com/isp

[Inspire]

Yeah I’ve already tried every isp home options and none are available to this area. My only option is to fork out a hundred or so dollars for a tablet and do that method with At&T

[Dr-BroadBand]

Att has a NEW data only plan

100Gig of data for $60

TM also has the same deal

[Inspire]

I would destroy 100g of data real quick considering all of the school work I do at the moment and my CS degree. It’s been a challenge doing it all via phone lol. But thank you for the additional options it is greatly appreciated

[toddw]

ATT band 14 is available out here. When it CAs with 2 and 29 I've seen 50-80mbps down on cat 12 and 18 modems. One of my routers at home does it with a em160.

[Inspire]

So I found a tablet on eBay but it seems to be locked onto at&t. If I plan on using AT&T’s service anyway with their post paid plan, is this okay? Or does the device need to be completely unlocked

[Dr-BroadBand]

I feel your pain and frustration & wish you luck

The $20 iPad unlimited data trick the pipe dream.

It may had worked at one time, and you may get it to work for you but it’s a long shot.

Have a read

https://www.howardforums.com/showthread ... department

[gscheb]

All three of the ones I got from ebay said they where at&t tablets. Should be fine as long as the imei is clean.

[Inspire]

Oh damn that’s a scary read, maybe I should do the 100gb plan

[Dr-BroadBand]

Every device has a MAC Address
The cell carriers know what type of Device is on their net work.

They may or may not use the terms of agreement to end The data plan at any time.

Good luck

Don’t get your hopes up too high

[Inspire]

I just can’t believe how insufferable it is to get unlimited data like even if it’s not the fastest in a rural area. I don’t know how I’ll manage 100gb but at this point it seems like my only option

[MattB29]

Cricket is offering a 100gb for $55/month now. The big issue is the device they will approve using with it. Luckily for me my EM7565 in a WG3526 was accepted before they made the new restrictions requiring a Voice over LTE device. However I am more than happy with the lower tier 20gb for $35 plan. I rarely approach the whole 20gb even with streaming a few movies and TV shows. Hard to see how I could ever blow through 100gb. No need to pay for more than I need.

I will mention that you can buy additional Data from these plans if you run out. Yes it cost more but you are using more.

Incidentally my speeds have been incredible since I went to an better outdoor antenna setup. It allows CA even in my heavily wooded very rural area with speeds over 70mbs down 3mbs up. This Sunday morning right now my test results are:

[gscheb]

I currently have three of these at&t post pay devices setup. At different locations. Have not heard of anyone being shut down on post pay. The shut downs where on prepay tablets.

If you see a post on here saying that post pay was shut down please refer it to us.

This is the lte game. It is all good till it isn't.

Then you get the next thing. We where part of the prepays that got shut down way back when.

So do what you got to do until better options come. And they are coming. In the last year allot more options are starting to grow.

[Dr-BroadBand]

I currently have three of these at&t post pay devices setup. At different locations. Have not heard of anyone being shut down on post pay. The shut downs where on prepay tablets.

If you see a post on here saying that post pay was shut down please refer it to us.

This is the lte game. It is all good till it isn't.

Then you get the next thing. We where part of the prepays that got shut down way back when.

So do what you got to do until better options come. And they are coming. In the last year allot more options are starting to grow.

Well said

[Inspire]

Well tbh with either method I still need to get a router right ? Got any recommendations for a solid one

[BDF1234]

Well tbh with either method I still need to get a router right ? Got any recommendations for a solid one

Build your own! I'm also in rural VA and I'm about to give it a shot with AT&T post paid. I'm just going to go all in on the unlimited elite with 100 GB of "premium" data. We'll see what happens.

I had been using a company called Infinite LTE to access AT&T's network, but they shut me down on Tuesday night with no warning. I had been paying $90/mo, so it seems like I may be able to find a better deal with a postpaid line. If it works.

[gscheb]

Build your own! I'm also in rural VA and I'm about to give it a shot with AT&T post paid. I'm just going to go all in on the unlimited elite with 100 GB of "premium" data. We'll see what happens.

I had been using a company called Infinite LTE to access AT&T's network, but they shut me down on Tuesday night with no warning. I had been paying $90/mo, so it seems like I may be able to find a better deal with a postpaid line. If it works.

Yeah that happens with resellers. That is why gave up on them. Can't say enough how good the at&t post pay tablet plan works. Personally try not to put to much data on it. Not my primary source of data but one of them.

[Inspire]

I really don’t want to build my own to be honest haha , already busy most of the day doing Computer Science schooling things. I’ll give more research into a good router and modem for At&t

[gscheb]

just moved to VA and I have pretty good LTE phone service with At@t off my iPhone and was looking to see if there was anyway I could take that data into a router as the internet situation is abysmal here.

What are the speeds of on this Iphone in the house? What Iphone is it?

[Inspire]

iPhone XR , when I directly tether to my PC with the temporary 5gb hotspot add on I purchased for school emergencies I got like 4mb download at max

[Didneywhorl]

I really don’t want to build my own to be honest haha , already busy most of the day doing Computer Science schooling things. I’ll give more research into a good router and modem for At&t

thewirelesshaven.com can build it for you: custombuilds@thewirelesshaven.com

[gscheb]

iPhone XR , when I directly tether to my PC with the temporary 5gb hotspot add on I purchased for school emergencies I got like 4mb download at max

Asking what speeds you are getting on the iphone itself? Curious to how good your at&t is there for starters.

[Dr-BroadBand]

On an iPhone call this number

*3001#12345#*

Will enter into Field test mode
Will be able to look at Real signal strength
In dB

[BDF1234]

Every device has a MAC Address
The cell carriers know what type of Device is on their net work.

Do you mean IMEI? Or does a modem have both a MAC and an IMEI? This is something I have tried to research, but do not have a conclusive answer.

My Quectel EM160 obviously has an IMEI, but I cannot find any evidence of a MAC Address.

My cell phone has a WIFI MAC, but I cannot find any evidence that it is utilized with the modem's connection to the tower. It seems that it is only used when connected to wifi.

So it seems that the only identifying numbers the cell carrier sees are the IMEI and the SIM #. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

[Inspire]

Asking what speeds you are getting on the iphone itself? Curious to how good your at&t is there for starters.

I get about 16-30 mbps download on the iphone

[Adm1jtg]

Do you mean IMEI? Or does a modem have both a MAC and an IMEI? This is something I have tried to research, but do not have a conclusive answer.

My Quectel EM160 obviously has an IMEI, but I cannot find any evidence of a MAC Address.

My cell phone has a WIFI MAC, but I cannot find any evidence that it is utilized with the modem's connection to the tower. It seems that it is only used when connected to wifi.

So it seems that the only identifying numbers the cell carrier sees are the IMEI and the SIM #. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

Your correct, when on LTE its IMEI, I mistyped but the concept is correct. The "IMEI" tells verizon the device type make and model. If the IMEI isnt recognized in verizons database it will typically lock the sim permanently, thus why you see in most setups/tutorials that you must register the device with verizon.

Kinda a catch 22 if they dont know what it is you cant use it but if they do know what the device is they can make sure it uses tethering data which is rarely unlimited. Thus why so many on verizon play with the IMEI as a work around for this.

[Didneywhorl]

Do you mean IMEI? Or does a modem have both a MAC and an IMEI? This is something I have tried to research, but do not have a conclusive answer.

My Quectel EM160 obviously has an IMEI, but I cannot find any evidence of a MAC Address.

My cell phone has a WIFI MAC, but I cannot find any evidence that it is utilized with the modem's connection to the tower. It seems that it is only used when connected to wifi.

So it seems that the only identifying numbers the cell carrier sees are the IMEI and the SIM #. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

The iPhone has a wifi MAC because that is a separate interface, and MAC is how wifi and ethernet devices are identified. IMEI is basically a WWAN MAC for cellular modems. I think BillA likes to spoof the LAN and ethernet MACs to iPhone bases to further put spoofing to the max.

[Inspire]

I think I’m going to end up trying out the standalone tablet plan from Att as I tried tmobile test drive and there’s absolutely no signal here. Verizon is throttled like crazy here because it’s pretty much what everyone uses so visible is out of the question.

For the att tablet plan can you use like any lte tablet to get on the plan or pretty much only the ones Gscheb posted?

For router/modem people recommend M1 the most, so I assume that’s the go-to for it so that’s been on my radar, just can’t believe it’s 250 on Amazon lol.

Hopefully the speeds are better off the m1 then my iPhone, I noticed a lot of the times my speeds increase tremendously when I do a quick airplane mode on/off to reset the LTE connection with att on the XR

[Dr-BroadBand]

The M1 is ok for ATT but lack the controls to easily set TTL spoof modem to look like an iPad or phone

So getting a Data plan to work will be a trick.

[Inspire]

Oh I was under the impression that you could put the tablet sim into the m1 and just changed the APN

[Dr-BroadBand]

Carriers Business plan is sell phones & Tablets.

They are less generous with their data for modems. There are loopholes that work but you need to bend/break The rules “term of agreement”with the Carrier

ATT has a 100Gig for $50. If you need more can try to get a iPad SIM and spoof your way onto the network

[gscheb]

Oh I was under the impression that you could put the tablet sim into the m1 and just changed the APN

Have done that with post pay at&t tablet plan. If you are happy with speeds on your iPhone should be comparable. If not happy maybe antennas would help if signal not the best.

[Didneywhorl]

I think I’m going to end up trying out the standalone tablet plan from Att as I tried tmobile test drive and there’s absolutely no signal here. Verizon is throttled like crazy here because it’s pretty much what everyone uses so visible is out of the question.

For the att tablet plan can you use like any lte tablet to get on the plan or pretty much only the ones Gscheb posted?

For router/modem people recommend M1 the most, so I assume that’s the go-to for it so that’s been on my radar, just can’t believe it’s 250 on Amazon lol.

Hopefully the speeds are better off the m1 then my iPhone, I noticed a lot of the times my speeds increase tremendously when I do a quick airplane mode on/off to reset the LTE connection with att on the XR

The M1 is the better bang for the buck and quick setup. It has limits, but it works very well on ATT.

As far as the speeds increasing and decreasing, that is 100% network management that we have zero control over. Sucks. Best bet is to get a FirstNet account, or a govt acct. Next would be a business Elite plan. Otherwise we get put on the bottom of the stack.
Another thing ATT does is they turn off Carrier Aggregation on a single tower per connection that sits there beyond an arbitrary time. Disconnecting and reconnecting allows CA again for a short time. Its a BS thing they do, but it allows them to technically still advertise "X Speeds" on their networks, etc.

[mtl26637]

Another thing ATT does is they turn off Carrier Aggregation on a single tower per connection that sits there beyond an arbitrary time. Disconnecting and reconnecting allows CA again for a short time. Its a BS thing they do, but it allows them to technically still advertise "X Speeds" on their networks, etc.

I'm sure the 'technical' reasoning (excuse) for doing this is a power saving feature on mobile devices that run on battery. This is also done with 5G ENDC mode but actually turn it back on/reconnect when needed. Ran across this in a patent not to long ago.

[Inspire]

What’s the process of resetting on the m1, does the magic hold through upon resets?